Garda probe into Dublin dad's murder could 'take time' due to lack of forensic evidence

Gardaí are continuing their investigations at the scene of the fatal shooting of Michael Tormey outside his home on Thomond Rd, Ballyfermot, on Sunday morning. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Gardaí expect their investigation into the murder of a father in west Dublin could "take some time” given the absence, so far, of obvious motives or the usual sources of forensic evidence, such as getaway vehicles or weapons.

However, detectives are hopeful that, through their investigations, they will make progress into the fatal shooting of Michael Tormey, who was gunned down outside his home in Ballyfermot early on Sunday morning.

Gardaí stated on Monday, and reiterated on Tuesday, that there was no link between the shooting and a party earlier in the night attended by the victim, nor had there even been any dispute at that event.

Sources also repeated that gardaí had no knowledge of Mr Tormey being involved in crime and seemed "just an ordinary guy".

One source said: “This will take some time, it won’t necessarily be solved too easily, but we usually do [solve it] over time."

Several lines of enquiry

Mr Tormey, a 49-year-old father of two, was shot a number of times just before 5am in the front garden of his house on Thomond Rd. It is thought his wife and one of his children were inside, asleep, at the time.

Investigators do not have any possible motives at this stage and are conducting several lines of inquiry to see where it leads them.

While detectives are keeping an open mind, they don’t think, as it stands, it was a case of mistaken identity, given Mr Tormey had answered his door and left his house and had some kind of interaction with another person in his front garden.

With the absence of any involvement in crime, detectives will examine any possible personal disputes he might have had in recent times.

Gardaí will talk to anyone Mr Tormey interacted with

“Any person that we know that knows him, we will talk to them,” said a garda. This includes associates, friends, people he might have interacted with socially or in sporting or personal training activities.

Usually in gun murders, gardaí find a burnt-out vehicle which they might be able to link to the crime and sometimes find a disposed murder weapon.

Local inquiries are continuing and CCTV is being harvested in the hope of gathering information on the killer or killers.

• Ballyfermot Garda Station: 01-6667200